Reclosable carton



Oct. 23, 1962 E. CQPELLATON ETAL 3,059,827

RECLOSABLE CARTON 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jqly 11. 1958 INVENTORS E rnesf C. Pellafon William W McGimpsay BY Louis J. Saffares Attorneys Oct. 23, 1962 5 c, PELFATON ETAL 3,059,827

RECLOSABLE CARTON Filed July 11, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 F i g. 6

IN VEN TORS 5H5); 52 's??? 5 BY Louis J. s crffores y Attorneys 1962 E. c. PELLATON ETAL 3,059,827

RECLOSABLE CARTON Filed July 11, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 E ,C W

mes e a on William W McGimpsey y Louis J. Saffores Attorneys United States ti atent 3,059,827 Patented Oct. 23, 1962 3,059,327 RECLOSABLE QARTON Ernest C. Pellaton, Larkspur, William W. McGimpsey,

Albany, and Louis J. Safiores, Novato, Caliti, assignors to Fibreboard Paper Products Corporation, San

Francisco, Calif., a corporation of Delaware Filed July 11, 1958, Ser. No. 748,018

1 Claim. (Cl. 229-17) The present invention relates to easily openable and reclosable cartons of foldable flexible material, such as paperboard and the like.

More particularly, the present invention relates to a paperboard carton which includes end closure structure for the carton body comprising cover flaps which cooperate to provide an access opening or pour spout of predetermined size and configuration through which the contents of the carton may be removed, said access opening being automatically opened when a cover flap of the closure structure is pulled from engagement with the remainder of the closure structure. The closure structure of the present carton also includes means for rapidly and easily reclosing the carton with a snap lock reclosing action to protect the unused contents of the carton.

Accordingly, the objects of the present invention, among others, include the provision of an easily opened carton end closure structure including a severable tear-out section which provides an access opening or pour spout through which contents of the carton may be easily removed in any desired quantity; the provision of closure structure including means for rapidly and easily reclosing the carton to protect the unused carton contents remaining in the carton; the provision of means whereby such carton, after having been reclosed, may subsequently be reopened; and the provision of closure structure wherein only a predetermined portion of one cover flap thereof is severed during the opening operation so that the other cover flap is maintained undamaged and intact.

These and other objects will become apparent from reading the following specification, reference being taken to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a foldable blank from which the present carton may be erected;

FIG. 2 is an end view on a slightly reduced scale, of the top of an assembled carton in flattened condition for shipment and storage;

FIG. 3 is an isometric view of an erected carton having the end closure structure thereof open;

FIG. 4 is an isometric view illustrating the manner in which the end closure structure is closed;

FIG. 5 is an isometric view of the carton completely closed;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the closed carton taken in the plane of line 66 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is an isometric view illustrating the manner in which the cart-on is opened to provide an access opening or pour spout.

FIG. 8 is an isometric view of a reclosed carton;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view of the reclosed carton taken in the plane of line 9-9 of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a plan view of part of a foldable blank from which a modified carton may be erected;

FIG. 11 is an isometric view of the modified carton with t -e end closure structure partially closed;

FIG. 12 is an isometric view of the modified carton with the end closure structure fully closed;

FIG. 13 is an isometric view illustrating the manner in which either of the disclosed embodiments may be reclosed with a snap lock reclosing action.

- Taking reference first to the carton blank 2 of FIG. 1, such blank may be formed from any suitable flexible and foldable material, desirably paperboard. Blank 2 includes a plurality of carton body panels secured in side-by-side relationship. Such body panels include an end wall panel 4 hingedly connected along fold line 6 to side wall panel 8, which in turn is connected along fold .line 10 to another end wall panel 12. End wall panel 12 also is hingedly connected along fold line 14 to another side Wall panel 16.

Desirably all the side wall panels and end wall panels are of substantially the same length but side Wall panels 8 and 16 desirably are of greater width than end wall panels 4 and 12 so that an elongated rectangular configuration is imparted to the carton when the same is fully erected.

Hingedly connected to side wall panel 16 along fold line 18 is glue panel 20, which desirably is adhesively secured to the inner face of end wall panel 4 when the carton is erected in the conventional manner. A series of bottom end closure flaps 22, 24, 26 and 28 are hingedly connected along fold lines 36, 32, 34 and 36, respectively, to the respective end wall and side wall panels which comprise the foldable blank. When the carton is erected, the bottom end closure panels 22, 24, 26 and 28 are secured together in overlapping relationship in any conventional manner, such as with adhesive or other suitable fastening means.

End closure structure is provided at the end of carton blank 2 opposite from the series of bottom closure flaps for providing the top closure for the erected carton. Such top end closure structure includes cover tabs 40 and 42 hingedly connected along respective fold lines 44 and 45 to the upper margins of end wall panels 4 and 12, respectively. These cover tabs may be provided with predetermined areas A for the reception of a suitable adhesive during the closing operation. Cover tabs 40 and 42 are shown as being substantially rectangular in configuration, but other suitable shapes may be employed also. Tabs 40 and 42 have free outer edges 46 and 47 respectively which, when the carton is closed, face each other in opposing relationship as will be described later.

Cover flaps 48 and 50, which cooperate with cover tabs 40 and 42 to provide the end closure structure of the carton, are hingedly connected along fold lines 52 and 54 to the upper margins of side walls panels 8 and 16 respectively.

Adjacent cover tabs and cover flaps are separated from each other by inwardly extending cuts C which provide four individual closure members which may be folded inwardly over the carton contents independently by each other when the carton is closed.

Desirably, cover tabs 40 and 42 and cover flaps 48 and 50 substantially correspond in width to their associated end wall and side wall panels. In addition, cover tabs 40 and 42 and cover flap 50 desirably are of equal length while cover flap 48 is of shorter length than any of these so that the outer free edge 56 thereof is positioned inwardly of the free edges 46, 47 and 58 of the respective tabs 40 and 42 and flap 50.

Extending freely outwardly from and projecting beyond free outer edge 56 of cover flap 48 is a tab member 60 which is intended for the dual purpose of providing a carton opening pull tab as well as reclosure tab means for an erected carton as will be discussed hereinafter. Tab 60 has an outer edge 61 which is in substantial alignment with outer edges 46, 47 and 58 of the closure tabs 4% and 42 and flap 50. Tab 60 is hingedly connected to closure flap 48 along fold line 62 which desirably is a substantial continuation of the outer free edge 56 of closure flap 48. The opposite side edges 63 of tab 60 converge toward outer edge 61 from fold line 62.

Closure flap 50 has formed therein an elongated out 64 which extends in the same general direction as the outer free edge 58 of such closure flap, but is spaced a substantial distance inwardly from such edge. Cut 64 desirably includes a straight central portion 66, which extends substantially parallel to outer edge 58, and two small opposite portions 68 and 70 which diverge outwardly from opposite ends of central portion 66 towards outer edge 58.

Elongated cut 64 defines part of the boundaries of a severable tear out section 72 provided in closure flap 50. Severable section 72 is spaced from fold line 54 which defines the hinged connection between flap 50 and side wall 16 and is adapted to be torn out when the carton is initially opened, as will be described. Cut 64 facilitates initiation of such tearing.

After the carton has been erected in any conventional manner to the open ended condition shown in FIG. 3 and the contents filled therein, the end closure structure of the carton top maybe closed in the following manner: As shown in FIG. 4, closure tabs 40 and 42 are folded inwardly to lie with their free outer edges 46 and 47 in opposing spaced relationship. Thereafter, cover flap 50 is folded inwardly to overlie tabs 40 and 42 and is secured thereto by any suitable means, preferably adhesive. For this purpose appropriate adhesive may be applied to adhesive areas A on the cover tabs to effect such securing. It should be noted that severable section 72 overlies the space between tabs 40 and 42 and partially closes the same.

Thereafter, the other cover flap 48 is folded to overlie cover flap 50 and is secured thereto. Desirably a suitable adhesive area A is applied within the boundaries of the severable section 72 and it is by means of such adhesive that overlying cover flap 48 is adhesively secured to underlying cover flap 50. Cover flap 48 need not otherwise be secured to cover flap 50, but if desired other light adhesive areas on opposite sides of severable section 72 may be provided to secure the outer ends of the respective overlying and underlying flaps together to provide a more securely closed carton. Normally, however, such additional adhesive areas are not necessary and the end closure structure is more easily opened if adhesive is applied only within the area defined by the severable section 72.

When the carton is completely closed, the end closure structure appears as shown in FIGS. and 6 with cover flap 50 overlying cover tabs and 42 and with cover flap 48 overlying cover flap 50. Carton erecting and closing may be done by hand but desirably is carried out on automatic packaging machines which fill and close large numbers of cartons rapidly and automatically.

It should be noted that dual purpose tab 60 extends freely beyond the associated edge 56 of cover flap 48. Desirably, respective flaps 48 and are so dimensioned that tab 60 terminates with its outer edge 61 within the confines of the end closure structure. That is, tab 60 does not extend laterally beyond the plane of side wall 16. Tab 60, however, does extend beyond the boundaries of severable section 72 to facilitate carton opening. A neatly closed carton results which has no projections which might accidentally be engaged to effect carton opening.

Tab 60 desirably is not adhesively or otherwise secured to the underlying cover flap 50, but merely overlies the same and extends substantially parallel thereto to provide a separate carton ply or tongue which is co-planar with cover flap 48 so that it may easily be grasped to effect carton opening. If desired, tab 60 may be lightly secured to flap 50 to hold it in place during shipment, but such an expedient is not required.

To open the en-d closure structure, it merely is required to grasp tab 60 and to raise the same as shown in FIG. 7, thereby disengaging closure flap 48 from closure fiap 50 and the remainder of the closure structure. Upon so doing, severable tear out section 72, which is adhesively secured to the under surface of flap 48, automatically is torn from flap 50 and remains in engagement with flap 48 and moves therewith when flap 48 is moved about hinge line 52 to thereby provide an access opening or pour spout 74 through which the contents of the carton may be removed.

As shown in FIG. 7, severable section 72 of flap 50 desirably is positioned to overlie the space existing between the opposing edges 46 and 47 of the cover tabs 40 and 42 so that the access opening 74 which is provided is of sub stantially rectangular configuration and is defined partially by such opposing edges and partially by the untorn portion of flap 50 which is outlined by the cut 64. The remainder of access opening 74 is defined by the side wall 8 of the carton. However, it should be understood that the respective tab and flap dimensions of the end clo' sure structure may be modified to suit a particular need so that, if desired, the entire access opening could be defined entirely by a tear out portion of flap 50.

After the carton has been opened as shown in FIG. 7, the contents thereof, which may be granular material, such as granulated or powdered sugar, baking powder or the like, or chunk style products, such as raisins and the like, may easily be poured from the carton through access opening 74 into an appropriate receptacle.

Tab 64) is not intended solely for the carton pull open ing function described previously. Such tab performs a dual function in that it also provides carton reclosure means which is engageable in the access opening 74 to facilitate reclosure of the car-ton to protect the unused contents thereof.

To reclose the carton, it is merely necessary to pivot cover flap 48 about its fold line 52 until it again overlies cover flap 50. Thereafter, by applying finger pressure in the area overlying access opening 74 in a direction sub stantially normal to refolded flap 48 (see FIG. 13), the tab 641 may be urged into the access opening 74 to the position illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9. In this conn ction, it is not necessary to twist or deform flap 48 in that tab 6% is inserted into such opening with what may be termed a snap-lock reclosing action which automatically locks the carton reclosed. Tab 60, upon application of such finger pressure, first is bent outwardly about fold line 62 until sufficient room is provided for the tab to snap automatically beneath cover flap 50. Because the carton is formed from flexible material, flap 50 is capable of giving inwardly a sufiicient amount until the edge 61 of bent tab 6 clears the edge of access opening 74 defined by cut 64 so that the tab may snap beneath flap 50.

Fold line 62 of tab 60 enhances controlled bending of the tab and facilitates reclosing of the carton. By provid ing a preformed fold line about which tab 60 is bendable, unnecessary damage to the tab or the cover flaps is precluded so that the carton may be reclosed and reopened numerous times until the contents are completely used.

In this connection, a sturdy carton reclosure structure is provided which protects the unused contents of the carton and substantially precludes leakage therefrom. Because the severable section 72 which is torn out when the carton structure is opened remains in contact with the under-surface of the closure flap 48, such severable section substantially fills the opening in flap 50' when the carton is reclosed and precludes leakage as much as possible.

The reclosed carton is securely closed in that, as shown in FIG. 8, the free edge 56 of closure flap 50 is in substantial alignment with the inner edge of access opening 74 defined by the elongated cut 64 provided in flap 50. In this manner, the two cartons are fully inter-engaged with the converging edges 63 of tab 60 contacting with a saw type locking action the side edges of access opening 74 defined by the diverging portions 68 and 70 of cut 64. While the tab 60 underlies flap 50 as described, the re mainder of the fiap 48 overlies flap 50w.

To insure proper inter-engagement of tab 60 and flap 50, cut 64 is positioned in flap 50 so that central portion 66 of such cut is spaced a distance from side wall 8, when the carton is closed, which is substantially equal to the distance of free edge 56 of flap 48 from the fold line 52 which connects such flap to side wall 8. That is, taking reference to FIG. 5, edge 56 and fold line 62 in flap 48 substantially overlie and are substantial continuations of the central portion 66 of cut 64 so that the entire tab 60 will be insertable beneath flap 50 when the carton is reclosed as shown in FIG. 8.

To reopen the car-ton after it has been reclosed, it merely is necessary to grasp flat 48 at opposite side edge portions 76 and 78 (FIG. 8) and raise the same until tab 60 is pulled free from beneath flap 50. During such reopening operation, tab 60 is bent downwardly along fold line 62 thereby precluding damage to either the tab or the flap. As a result, the carton may be opened and closed numerous times until the contents are exhausted.

When severable section 72 is of substantially small size, no additional weakening means is required to effect tearing out of such section during the opening operation in that flap 50 is torn along substantially straight lines which start at opposite ends of cut 64 (FIG. 7).

However, when an access opening or pour spout of substantially large size is desired, so that a spoon or other measuring instrument may be inserted directly into the carton for withdrawing measured amounts of the contents therefrom, additional means for weakening the cover flap 50 to facilitate proper and neat tearing out of the severable section is desirable. As shown in FIGS. to 13, a carton modification is provided which includes such additional weakening means.

With reference to the blank of FIG. 10, spaced lines of weakness 80 and 82, desirably in the form of perfo rations, are provided in cover flap 50 which extend from opposite ends of the elongated cut 64 in substantially parallel relationship to the edge '58 of the cover flap. In such modification, cut 64 is positioned adjacent fold line 54 and spaced therefrom a distance sufficient to allow dual purpose pull tab 60 to snap under flap 50 when the carton is to be reclosed after initial opening. In this manner a severable section 72, the boundaries of which are defined not only by the elongated cut 64, but also by the parallel perforated lines of weakness 8t) and 82, is provided which may be neatly and easily torn out to facilitate opening of the carton to provide a large access opening in the end thereof. Such access opening is defined by severable section 72 and extends almost the full distance across the carton end structure as shown in FIG. 11. Reference numeral 84 is applied to FIG. 11 to identify the access opening resulting when section 72 is removed.

While similar lines of weakness may be provided in the somewhat smaller carton embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 9, desirably such lines of weakness are omitted from this embodiment. Because cut 64 in the embodiment of FIGS. l-9 is relatively close to edge 58 of cover flap 50, accidental opening of the carton due to unexpected forces which may be applied thereto during shipment and handling might be possible if such lines of weakness were provided.

In other respects the carton modification of FIGS. 10 to 13 is substantially the same as the carton embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 9, and similar reference numerals are used for similar parts. As noted in FIG. 12, the pull-tab 60 in this modification also terminates within the confines of the end closure structure. The carton of FIGS. 1013 is opened and reclosed in the same manner described previously with the easy reclosing operation being illustrated in FIG. 13.

While the present carton end closure structure is quite simple in construction, a carton is provided which may be easily and rapidly opened with a minimum of destruction to the cover flaps thereof. Such minimum destruction is limited solely to the underlying of the two cover flaps which comprise the closure structure. That is, as shown in FIG. 7, the overlying cover flap of the closure structure is not torn or otherwise destroyed during the opening operation. As a result, the carton retains its original shape after being opened. Such carton also retains its original strength in that the overlying flap 48 is undamaged and is fully effective .when the carton is re closed.

As shown in FIG. 2, both carton embodiments of this invention, after glue panel 20 has 'been adhesively secured to end wall panel 4, may be folded into a two ply flattened carton for shipment or storage. In such flattened condition, the opposite carton ends are open. Such fiattened carton may be easily erected to open tubular shape by pressing inwardly on the opposite edges thereof defined by fold lines 6 and 14. When in such open tubular shape, the top and bottom ends may be closed as described previously.

While two desirable embodiments of the carton have been described herein, other constructions embodying the invention may become apparent to those skilled in the art. However, the present invention should not be limited by the foregoing description, but should be interpreted in light of the following claim.

We claim:

A container comprising four connected walls forming a rectangular carton consisting of oppositely disposed side walls and end walls extending equidistant with one another to provide an open end, a pair of end wall closure cover tabs, one of said tabs being foldably connected to each of said end walls adjacent said open end and being substantially the same width as said end wall and being infolded and extending toward each other a short distance so that a substantial space is left between the free ends of said tabs, said tabs having on their outer side a predetermined area covered with adhesive, a first rectangular cover flap foldably connected to one of said side walls adjacent said open end and having an outer free edge and being substantially the same width as said side wall and extending toward said oppositely disposed side wall a distance substantially short thereof to leave a space therebetween and contactingly overlying each of said tabs and permanently secured thereto by the said adhesive, said first cover flap having an elongated slit therein spaced a substantial distance inwardly from its outer free edge, the outer side of said first cover flap between said cut and free outer edge which is substantially the area thereof defined between the free edges of the tabs only being covered with adhesive which extends between said cover tabs, a second cover flap foldably connected to the opposite side wall adjacent said open end and being substantially the same width as the side wall and extending toward said one side wall a distance substantially short thereof to leave a space therebetween and contactingly overlying a subjacent portion of the first cover flap and being removably secured to only a medial adjacent portion of its inner side thereof by said adhesive on said first cover flap, the inner surfaces of lateral portions on each side of said medially located adjacent portion of said second cover flap being free and unsecured with respect to the outer adjacent outer surfaces of the first cover flap, a dual purpose pull tab of substantially the width of the slit in the first cover flap integral with, and extending beyond the outer free edge of said second cover flap midway between its opposite edges beyond and exteriorly of said cut and resting freely on and terminating short of the connection of the first cover flap, the combined length of the second cover flap and pull tab being no greater than the length of the first cover flap, the pull tab when grasped and pulled outwardly will result in that portion of the first cover flap with the adhesive being completely ripped therefrom and forms a dispensing opening in the first cover flap and is completely removed and carried by the second cover flap away from the dispening opening, and a free end edge of the opening being of a width substantially that of the width of the pull tab inwardly of a marginal portion of the first cover flap, the pull tab being insertable under the said end edge of the opening in the first cover flap to reclose the container, and means closing the other end of the carton.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Byrne Mar. 19, 1912 Weiss Dec. 25, 1934 Guyer Mar. 21, 1939 Ranko et a1. July 18, 1939 Ellsworth Sept. 8, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain J an. 14, 1953 

